Drinking too much water can be dangerous - Here's how

Physicians have always encouraged people to drink a lot of water to stay healthy but some omit to mention that there is actually a limit to consider.

A 59-year-old woman fell gravely ill after she drank too much water.

Evidently, the unnamed woman overdosed on water after developing symptoms of a urinary tract infection.

There are a few risks to drinking too much water

The woman was told by doctors to drink a cup of water every 30 minutes. After she was admitted, doctors found that she was suffering from dangerously low levels of salt in her blood. This often happens when too much water is drunk over a short period of time.

The ill woman suffered symptoms like nausea, vomiting and headaches. If her situation had gotten more serious, her brain could swell which can lead to confusion, seizures, coma and death.

Doctors usually advice patients to drink more water especially when they are unwell

Doctors have explained that there is not a lot of evidence that clearly shows how much water is too much.

Describing the woman’s condition, the doctors revealed that shortly after admission, she became shaky and muddled. She vomited several times, was tremulous and exhibited significant speech difficulties.

No clear research have shown how much water is too much so it can be difficult to find a limit

To treat her, doctors had to restrict her fluid intake. It was also revealed that on another occasion, a young woman who suffered gastroenteritis died after consuming too much water. She reportedly suffered from violent shaking episodes.

A doctor speaking on the decision to advise patients to hydrate say, ‘We would encourage patients to drink more if they have symptoms of dehydration, such as feeling thirsty — including in hot weather or when exercising — or passing dark-coloured urine. There is no steadfast recommendation as to how much water people should drink in order to stay healthy, but the key thing is to keep hydrated — and passing clear urine is a good indication of this.”

While no one can actually say how much water is too much, regularly passing clear urine can let you know your water intake is just right.